Specific HLA alleles, paired with TCR V- and J-gene segment usage, link to distinct multiple myeloma survival rates

Abstract

Multiple myeloma (MM) immunogenomics studies related to T-cell characterizations and involving large patient sets have been lacking, particularly in comparison to solid tumor types. Thus, we evaluated (i) HLA alleles, and (ii) T-Cell Receptor (TCR) V- and J-gene segment, HLA allele combinations, based on TCR recombinations in blood samples, for their potential associations with overall survival distinctions among an MM cohort. Two HLA alleles, and seven TCR V- or J-gene segment, HLA allele combinations were found to be associated with distinct overall survival rates. For examples, HLA-C*08:02, and the TRAV19, HLA-C*07:01 combination, were found to be associated with negative outcomes. In addition, anti-cytomegalovirus immune receptor sequences, from blood samples, were found to be associated with a positive outcome (p = 0.012, n = 278). These data, and other related immunogenomics data, indicate a potential opportunity to use personal immunogenetics parameters as guides to prognosis and therapies.

Keywords:

• Multiple myeloma
• T-cell receptor recombination reads
• survival rates
• HLA
• blood sample exomes

Acknowledgements

Authors gratefully acknowledge the contributions of USF research computing and the taxpayers of the State of Florida; Corinne Walters for extensive administrative support related to the NIH dbGaP approvals. Authors also acknowledge Morsani College of Medicine RISE research fellowships (to TIH, MM, SZ, BIC).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).